The Stag
by Simply Ella
Summary: Sequel to Snow White and the Just King. Eirawen's thoughts before and after her husband's disappearance. And her life changing meeting with the Great Lion.


This is a sequel to my story "Snow White and The Just King." I meant to post this story a long time ago but haven't had a chance to edit it till now. Thanks to everyone that read and reviewed for "Snow White and The Just King." This is for ya'll

Disclaimer: I do not own Snow White or The Chronicles of Narnia. This is just the product of me thinking that Snow White and Edmund would make a good couple. :) I'm not making anything from this.

*****

Five years had passed since King Edmund and Princess Eirawen were married.

All was well in Narnia and Queen Eirawen ruled along with King Edmund and his royal siblings, they had gotten into a normal routine and were quite happy with the way things were.

Yes, indeed all was well and Eirawen had come to believe that she had gotten her happy ending.

That was until news of the White Stag came.

Rumors had been circulating that the White Stag had been seen in the Western Woods. The rumors were confirmed when Mr. Tumnus came to Cair Paravel carrying the news that the Stag had been spotted and was heading towards the Western Woods.

The Kings and Queens were excited to go hunting for the White Stag because legend said that the Stag would give wishes to whoever caught it.

Queen Eirawen however, was not excited to hear the news.

In the midst of all of the planning, Queen Eirawen pulled her husband aside.

"Edmund?" She said once they were alone.

"Yes love?" he answered.

She paused for a moment and took a breath. "Do you really think that chasing after the White Stag is a good idea?"

"Well, Eira," he answered "you know that the Stag has the power to grant whoever catches it wishes. If we catch the Stag it would be beneficial to Narnia and we could wish for never ending peace. Just think about how wonderful that would be."

He had a good point, Narnia could benefit from catching the Stag and it would be better for them to catch it and wish for something good, instead of someone else catching it and wishing for something evil.

"You have a good point my husband, but I've heard stories about the White Stag and it is not as good of a symbol in Archenland as it is here."

"What are you saying love?" He asked his eyes growing wide with concern.

"Well, I've heard that it is a bad omen….a warning that something terrible is going to happen."

"Eira, you needn't worry." He said and wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. "We're taking a big party and of course swords and arrows. We'll be careful, but most importantly Aslan is watching over us."

He was right; worrying wouldn't help her any. She just had to trust Aslan that everything would be alright.

Eirawen took a deep breath; maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she thought.

Maybe her paranoia was due to the fact that her step-mother had tried so many times to take her life.  
Maybe it was because Edmund helped save her life and she didn't want to lose him.

Whatever the cause was, she just couldn't shake the thought that something bad was going to happen.

She couldn't help but think the worse.

"I'm sorry Edmund, I just tend to think the worse I suppose."

"It's understandable dear, but you shouldn't worry so much; it isn't good for your health… I'll stay here."

"Come again?" Eirawen asked, she knew that Edmund would stay if he knew that his being away bothered her.

"I'll stay here with you. That way you don't have to worry. It's probably better like this anyway. Peter, Susan and Lucy will be more than fine without me and you and I can stay at Cair Paravel, someone needs to stay at the castle anyway."

"Edmund, that's awfully kind of you, but I know that you want to go with your siblings and hunt the Stag. You don't have to stay just to calm my fears."

"Are you sure Eira?" He said, looking her in the eyes in order to gage her reaction.

"Yes. You need to go."

"Then come with me."

"You know I'd love to Ed, but the children are too young to go hunting and I need to stay with them."

"I know… but I hate being away from you and them." Edmund answered

"I know, I don't like it either." She said.

"When, are you leaving?"

"Fairly soon, I'd say within the next hour or so. The quicker we get to the Stag the better."

"Come, I want to go see our children before I leave." King Edmund said, as he led his wife by the hand to the children's nursery.

"They should be waking up from their naps soon." Eirawen said.

They walked into the room, hand in hand

Edmund walked over to the crib where one year old Irene lay sleeping.

Irene had fair skin and dark hair just like both her parents, and black eyes just like her mother's.

Three year old Darrin was in the crib next to Irene's.

Darrin was fair and dark haired like his parents, and he too had Eirawen's ebony eyes.

The king and queen smiled as they looked at their sleeping children, they shared a moment of quiet contentment before they saw movement in Darrin's crib.

Eirawen quickly walked over to her son's crib and picked him up. "Hello Darrin, did you have a good nap?" She asked sweetly.

Darrin rubbed his face into his mother's shoulder, he was still half asleep.

"Let me hold him." Edmund said and took the child into his arms.

"Hey Darrin," he said "papa's going to go hunting. Take good care of your mum while I'm gone. Alright?"

Darrin nodded his head and mumbled something like "I wanna go with you."

"You're a little young." Edmund answered, however he was tempted to take him. "I'll take you hunting one day when you're older. How's that sound?"

"Good." Darrin answered. "Iry go too?" He had a hard time pronouncing Irene.

"Yes. We'll take your mum too," he said looking at Eirawen "just the four of us."

Eirawen smiled. "That's a good idea."

Edmund leaned down into Irene's crib and kissed her on the forehead. She wiggled around a little, but he didn't wake her up.

Darrin followed his father's actions and kissed Irene too. "I take good care o' you and mummy, Iry." He said.

Eirawen smiled as she watched her son and husband.

She was so grateful that she had been blessed with such a wonderful family.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Edmund and Eirawen said at the same time.

A young dryad walked into the room, "Your majesties," she said and then curtsied "King Peter has requested your presence at the front of the castle, the hunting party is ready and about to leave."

"Thank you Ari." He said, "Please let King Peter know that my wife and I will be down in a few moments."

The dryad curtsied again and left the room.

King Edmund turned to look his wife in the eye. "Are you sure that you're alright with my leaving?"

"Yes." She answered as they walked down the hallway.

They were quiet the rest of the way until they were in front of the castle.

Once in front of the castle, Eirawen said goodbye to her husband as well as Queens Susan and Lucy and King Peter.

The send off was like every over time the four had left.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, which helped to calm Eirawen's nerves some.

With a small smile and a wave Eirawen watched the hunting party leave the castle.

****************

Four days later.

"Darrin, no don't eat that!" Eirawen said as she took a bug out of her son's hand that was headed for his mouth.

She sat down in front of him and held a hand on his shoulder, and looked him in the eye.

"That isn't good for you Darrin, it will make you sick. You don't want to get sick do you?"

"No ma'am." He replied.

"Good. "She said smiling.

All of a sudden there was a loud sound.

Trumpets.

Eirawen's smile grew wider.

"Come, Darrin. Let's see who's here" she said assuming it was her husband, his siblings and the rest of the hunting party that had arrived. She didn't say her thoughts out loud though because she didn't want to get Darrin's hopes up if it wasn't them.

She took her son by the hand and led him out of the garden and to the front of the castle.

As soon as they reached the front of the castle, Mr. Tumnus ran up to Eirawen, a sorrowful expression on his face.

He looked like he had lost his best friend.

"Your majesty", Tumnus said as he approached Eirawen. "May I have a word with you in private?"

"Yes, of course." Eirawen responded.

_Where is Edmund? And Susan, Lucy and Peter? Why didn't one of them come greet me? He's not going to tell me anything good. I can tell. Though I don't even want to try to think about what it is, given the look on his face, it's beyond awful._

They walked inside and into one of the rooms on the ground floor used for meetings. They both set down at the table and Tumnus was fidgeting an awful lot, which made Eirawen very nervous.

"Mr. Tumnus, please, whatever you're going to say just come right out and say it." Eirawen said, eager to know what was wrong.

"Oh, dear, there really isn't a good way to say this. Oh, no…. Eirawen..... they're …. gone." Tumnus managed to get out between sobs

"What do you mean gone?" Asked Eirawen, she was beginning to cry a little herself.

"We can't find them anywhere!" Tumnus said and then blew his nose into his handkerchief. "That's one reason I came back, to get more help in the search. We were looking all over the woods for the stag when Queen Lucy decided to follow further, so of course Queen Susan and Kings Peter and Edmund followed. The rest of us tried to but we couldn't see them anymore. We have been searching ever since. Their horses were found but there is no other sign of them." He began rambling at this point. "We tried to ask their horses what happened but they we're talking horses. I did try asking them anyway but they were of no help. Dumb horses can't talk! There was no sign of struggle either. It was as if they were never there. They just vanished." Tumnus had managed to calm down a bit by this time, but was still shaken up.`

"This doesn't make sense, Tumnus; people just don't vanish into thin air."Eirawen took a long breath. "Did you check the dwarfs' house? Maybe they're with them?"

"We checked with the dwarfs and they are helping with the search. They haven't seen or heard anything either. They're gone…just gone." Mr. Tumnus began crying again.

"Excuse me, please." Eirawen managed to get out. She needed some time to process what was going on. She ran out of the room, down the hall and up the stairs to one of the towers where she knew that she would be alone.

Eirawen didn't really know how to react to the news that she had just received, so she blamed everything on herself.

"Why did I tell Edmund to go? Oh I knew something was going to go wrong!" Eirawen said out loud (though she was talking to herself and not to someone else). She slid down onto the floor. "I should have just told him to stay here and then none of this would be happening! He would have told Peter and the whole search for that Stag would have been called off!" She was crying so hard now that her normally beautiful snow-white face had become red and blotchy and she was shaking.

"Don't go blaming this on yourself Eira, you'll just make yourself sick. You had no way to control this."

Eirawen jumped when she heard the voice, she thought she was all alone. She turned to see the face that the familiar voice belonged to. It was Darrinian, one of the dwarfs that had raised her.

The old dwarf gray headed dwarf looked into her red, tear stained eyes, "Ever since you came back you've been so scared and worried about everything." Darrinian said, referring to her waking up from the slumber she had been in for far too long. "I hate that you're having to go through this, but you can't live your life blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong."

"But I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen when they went looking for the stag…" She began to say but Darrinian wouldn't let her finish. "Did you know that Edmund, King Peter, Queen Susan and Queen Lucy would seemingly vanish into thin air?"

"No." She replied.

"Then if you didn't know, then how is it your fault?"

"I guess you're right, I didn't cause this, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me that they just disappeared. Tumnus said there was no sign of a struggle, but I don't see how that could be…" She paused for a moment before she realized something that she hadn't before. "Unless magic was involved…"

She looked at Darrinian. "Do you think that this has something to do with that horrid White Witch?"

"Well, she's been gone for a long time I doubt it could be her." The dwarf replied.

"But she had a lot of followers," said Eirawen, "do you think that one of them could possibly be to blame?"

Darrinian and the other six dwarfs that raised Eirawen were a few of the dwarfs that remained true to Aslan and refused to pledge allegiance to the White Witch. The seven had formed a sort of undercover agency and gave any information they had to the leaders of the rebel army and were able to help the good Narnians win the battle of Beruna.

"It's a possibility. I don't know of any hags or any creatures that still hold allegiance to the White Witch. You know that for the first few years of their reign the kings and queens searched out the remnants of that horrible-excuse-for-a-queen's army and there hasn't been any sign of evil creatures in years. However, I wouldn't underestimate them." He replied.

Eirawen leaned back against the wall, covered her face with her hands and took a few deep breaths.

"I'm glad you're here." She said. "Did you come alone?"

"Yes." Darrinian replied. "The others are out searching. We had a vote and decided that I should be the one to come up here."

Eirawen nodded. "What should I do? What if they can't be found or… it's too late?" Her eyes were beginning to be filled with tears once again.

"Eira, I know this is a terrible thing and I hate that it's happened; but you need to try to calm down. You know that if they aren't found you would have to rule Narnia until Darrin is of age. You know only a Son of Adam or a Daughter of Eve can rule."

She sighed and sat up straight. "I know. I'll be sure to do my best for Narnia until they're found. She whispered. "By the Mane, I hope they're found."

"I believe that's the first time I've heard you curse. Eira, everything will work out. You needn't—"

"Worry. I know, Darrinian." She said with a small smile. "Thank you for being here, thank you for always being there when I needed you."

"It's been my pleasure, Eira."

"It's getting late," said Darrinian, "why don't you get some rest?"

*******

"Your Majesty, are you sure you want to be doing this? It's terribly dangerous." Said Aisling, one of Eirawen's most trusted friends.

"Aisling, how many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to call me 'your majesty'? And yes I know it's dangerous but I need to go searching on my own. I have to know what's going on and I already talked to Oreius about going and he said the same thing to me that you just did. I need to go and I don't want anyone to stop me."

"Please, just be careful, Eirawen." The Dryad said in a quiet voice, "We can't lose you too."

"I know. I'll be careful." Eirawen said and took a deep breath. "Will you please watch after the children for me?"

"You know I will. I'll treat them like they're my own."

"Thank you Aisling, and thank you for being such a good friend. You and Tumnus have been such good friends to Edmund and I, as well as wonderful godparents to Darrin and Irene."

"Eira," Aisling said as she stood beside her friend and gently pulled her into a hug. "Are you sure that you want to go all by yourself? I could go with you or send Tumnus so that you wouldn't be alone."

"I appreciate your offer Aisling, but you I need you to stay with Darrin and Irene, you know that I won't let just anyone watch them. Tumnus needs time to rest; he's been working so hard lately." She answered, thinking about how exhausted and upset Tumnus looked the last time she had seen him.

"Please don't let anyone know I've gone until the morning."

"I won't say a word."

Eirawen pulled on a dark green cloak and gathered the last few items she needed into her bag. "Please if…" She swallowed a lump in her throat, "if anything happens to me, please make sure that the children know that I love them and that Edmund does too."

"Eira, please don't say things like that." Aisling said, shaking her head as tears of her own threatened to fall from her eyes.

"I just want to cover things just in case I don't come back." Eirawen picked up her bag and walked out of the room.

"May the Lion be with you!" Aisling said as she watched her friend leave and head into the unknown.

***************

The woods were pitch black as Eirawen rode her horse further and further into the darkness. Not a star shone in the night sky. The young queen adjusted her lamp and then urged her horse, Jaen on. She couldn't waste a moment this night. She had to go on as quickly as she could.

Ahh!!!! Eirawen exclaimed while her horse let out a loud whinny. She looked up from where she had fallen to check on Jaen. When she got up, Eirawen was aware of a sharp pain in her arm. She tried to move it but the pain was almost unbearable. "Oh this is just wonderful!" She exclaimed sarcastically.

Jaen had tripped over a rock that caused both of them to fall. "Oh, I'm sorry girl, I should have been more careful about how I held the light." Eirawen said as she gently stroked the mare's head with her good hand. "Maybe this is a sign that we need to rest for little." Eirawen said as she sat on the offending rock. She tore a piece of cloth from her cloak and pressed it onto the spot of her leg that was bleeding, fortunately her leg wasn't hurting as badly as her arm.

"Well girl," She said to Jaen, "maybe we should have waited until morning."

After a few moments, the flood gates in her eyes began to open and Eirawen started crying once again.

"What troubles you, Daughter of Eve?" Asked a gentle, but firm voice Eirawen had never heard before. The voice made her feel uneasy, yet made her feel more calm than she ever had in her life.

She looked up, searching for the voice, only to be met by two warn hazel-brown eyes. Eirawen stayed still for a few moments before she could find her voice.

"As... Aslan? Is it really you?" She couldn't believe it. She had heard of the Great Lion many times, from the dwarfs and from Peter, Lucy, Susan and Edmund. Edmund had told her many times of how Aslan had saved him from the White Witch and had sacrificed his own blood for his. One would think that from hearing and seeing great things that the Lion had done, that she would be a firm believer in Him. In truth, however, that was not the case. She wanted to believe, oh yes, she did. But there was a great part of her that was not willing to.

"You're majesty." The queen said and quickly got up from her seat and bowed before the Great Lion.

"Rise, daughter of Eve." The Lion's voice was gentle and soothing. "Tell me what troubles you?"

Eirawen obeyed, she took a deep breath and quietly answered, not daring to look at His face, "Surely you know my Lord. My husband is missing as well as the other king and queens.

"This troubles you dear one?"

"Very much." She answered still looking down.

"Why does it bother you?" He asked, even though He already knew the answer.

"My Lord, my Husband, the father of my children, is gone without a trace. So has Lucy, Susan and Peter. Narnia needs them. My children need them. I need them. "

"Do not fret Eira, no harm has come to them."

Eirawen was overjoyed at the news. "You mean they're safe? Oh, that's wonderful! Where are they?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you, for it is not part of your story."

Eirawen's joy quickly turned into anger. "What do you mean not a part of my story? Edmund, my husband is missing! The one that I vowed to love and support for my entire life, how is that not a part of my story?" Her voice then became softer, as realization hit her. "He's not dead is he?"

"No, dear one, he is not."

"He's not in Narnia anymore is he?" She took a deep breath, the tears had long disappeared. "He went back to his home world."

"You have guessed correctly, Queen Eirawen."

"Why? Why your majesty? Why did whatever happened, happen?"

"Everything happens for a reason, Eira." Aslan said as he looked at her face, forcing her to finally look him in the eyes. "But not everything should be explained."

If Eirawen was to explain what she was feeling at the moment, she would probably say that there isn't really a word to describe what she was feeling as she stood in the dark of night in the woods, talking to the King over all kings. She was sad that her husband and siblings had been taken back to the world of Spare Oom, sad that her she was basically a widow now and that her children would grow up without their father. Confused as to why this was happening and curious to see how things in Narnia would be without its rulers. She was also still in severe pain in her arm that she assumed was broken.

As all these thoughts were running through Eirawen's head, Aslan breathed on her.

Immediately the young queen felt peace deep inside of her. A peace that she had never known before, as much as she hated what had happened; she was beginning to accept it.

She bent down and threw her arms around the Great Lion. "Please, help me Aslan. I know that I can't handle this without you."

Aslan smiled. "I'll always be with you dear one. I always have been with you."

Eirawen froze for a minute. She thought over her whole life, her escape from Archenland, her survival of the many attempts that her evil stepmother had made to kill her. She had always thought that it was because her family had come in at the nick of time to save her. But now, she could see that it was because Aslan was protecting her. He had brought her through so much and she was extremely grateful for it.

This time when tears formed in Eirawen's eyes, they were happy ones.

"Thank you," she whispered into his thick golden fur.

"May I ask you if he will ever come back?"

"I cannot tell you, dear one. I can only tell you that you and your children will be fine. Darrin will grow up to be a great king- like Edmund- and Irene will grow up to be a wonderful woman, just like you."

Eirawen reluctantly moved away from the Lion, when she did the pain in her arm was gone. She looked down her leg had stopped bleeding and it didn't even look like anything had happened to it.

"Thank you, Aslan… for everything."

The Great Lion smiled, let out a loud roar and turned to leave.

"Never forget, dear one," He said as he stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. "I am with you always, even when you think that I am not. Good can come out of even the worst tragedy. Keep heart, don't lose faith."

And with that, He was gone.

But Eirawen knew that He truly wasn't gone.

She knew he would help her and all of Narnia. Even though her life had been turned upside down in an instant, everything would turn out fine.

*********

Queen Eirawen, with the help the seven dwarfs, Tumnus, Aisling and Mr. and Mrs. Beaver raised Darrin and Irene.

Eirawen ruled over Narnia until her son, Darrin was old enough.

Irene grew up to be a beautiful young woman, just like her mother. She was very kind; she was gentle but had a strong, determined nature. She was known as Princess Irene the Kindhearted. .

Darrin grew up to be one of the greatest kings that had ever ruled over Narnia. He was a good honest and fair ruler. He loved Narnia and all of the creatures in it and always made decisions that would better the country. He was known as King Darrin the Wise. He reigned for many years and Narnia was blessed with peace during his entire reign.

AN: Please review and let me know what you think! Thanks.


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